Known in the art are methods for modifying the surface of rubber industrial articles by irradiation (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,754 Cl. 250-52, 1964; British Pat. No. 1,120,803 Cl. C3E, 1965). These methods provide for improved physico-mechanical characteristics of rubber articles due to the formation of a modified layer on their surface possessing higher adhesion properties compared to those of the non-treated rubber article surface.
However, the antifriction properties of rubber are only insignificantly varied.
The closest prior art appears to be a method for modifying the surface of rubber industrial articles involving treating of the articles with ionizing radiation and applying a polymer layer onto the surface thereof (cf. British Pat. No. 1,120,803 Cl. C3E, 1965).
However, this method does not provide the required level of improvement of antifriction properties of the materials, i.e., the coefficient of friction.